Jacob Butterfield of Sheffield Wednesday during the EFL Sky Bet Championship match between Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday at the Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales on 16 September 2017. Photo by Andrew Lewis.

Sunderland are not interested in signing Derby County midfielder

Jacob Butterfield of Sheffield Wednesday during the EFL Sky Bet Championship match between Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday at the Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales on 16 September 2017. Photo by Andrew Lewis.

Derby County midfielder Jacob Butterfield is not a target for Sunderland, according to the Sunderland Echo.

The Black Cats had been linked with a move for the Championship midfielder earlier in the week but are now said to be not interested in bringing him to the Stadium of Light this summer.

Instead, they are looking to sign Reading’s central midfielder George Evans to the North-East.

Their new manager, Jack Ross, has been busy so far in this transfer window as he looks to bolster his squad ahead of a promotion push next season. Sunderland will be playing in League One in the next campaign but are hoping it is only for one year.

The Black Cats have delved into the transfer market for acquisitions so far this summer. The likes of Jon McLaughlin, Alim Ozturk, Tom Flanagan, Chris Maguire, Reece James and Dylan McGeouch have all joined the club.

Jacob Butterfield will not be joining them on the way to Sunderland and will either have to bide his time at Derby County or find another club. The experienced Football League central midfielder fell down the pecking order with the Rams and spent last season on loan at fellow Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.

The former Barnsley and Middlesbrough man will not be heading back to the North-East but could be available for another Championship or third tier side who need a midfielder. Butterfield had an impressive couple of seasons for Derby prior to the last campaign so has proven he has got what it takes.